1. Take summer classes.

I know, trust me, I know. However, summer classes are not as bad as you may think they are! Register at your local community college and browse your options. You'll find that most classes are only five to seven weeks! That's not even half of your summer. By registering for just one class at your community college you've probably saved about $500, give or take. On top of that, if you're a recently outgoing freshman or sophomore, chances are you have a few prerequisites to get out of the way. You can get the credits that you need, but don't necessarily want, in time for fall so you can take more of the classes you want to take!

Hot Tip: Make sure the credits you're receiving from your community college are transferable to your university.

2. Get a job.

Again, I know. However, getting a seasonal summer job might be the way to go if you want to save to pay for your tuition or even just to have some extra cash for decorating your dorm! Experience can't really hurt you or your resume. Having a summer job can only benefit you, you make your money and you can add more things to your summer bucket list! Additionally, summer jobs are typically more fun as most jobs are pretty similar to a summer camp counselor.

Volunteer

Any time is the right time to volunteer. Volunteering can be a great opportunity to learn what you're passionate about if you haven't already decided, or to just give back to your community. Over the summer, volunteering can really expand your horizons as you meet new people and gain more experience in what you care about.

Hot Tip: Adding volunteer history to a resume or scholarship application, takes you to another level.

Complete Scholarships

Scholarships are available 24/7, 365 days of the year! I know that during the school year it can be tough to fit in an extra essay and application, but why not take this free time to earn free money. This money can almost always go towards anything you want, your tuition, books, room and board! A plain Google search for scholarships might be tough to find the right scholarship for you, so check your university's website or websites dedicated to scholarship searches.

Get An Internship

If you are absolutely set on your major or have an idea of what career path you want to take, an internship is a perfect next step to take. Experience is the best teacher! Being able to gain skills in professionalism, adhering to a work schedule and seeing others do the job you want to do, are all excellent entryways to the career of your dream.

Hot Tip: Don't want to be only 'paid' in experience? Try looking for paid internships!

Get A Hobby Or Perfect It

It can be easy to get wrapped up in the school year and only focus on academics. As we all know, all that leads to is stress. Creating or perfecting a hobby will give you an excellent outlet over the upcoming semester and it can be literally anything — art, music, sports, makeup, leadership, literally anything! Also once you've become comfortable with your hobby, you can probably turn it into a fun side business for yourself! With the help of social media, your talents could bring you in a few extra bucks!